Visa holders rush to board flights to US amid reprieve
CHICAGO (AP) — Visa holders from seven majority-Muslim countries affected by President Donald Trump's travel ban hurried to board U.S.-bound flights Saturday, fearing they might have only a slim window through which to enter the country after a federal judge temporarily blocked the ban.
The Justice Department on Saturday night asked a federal appeals court to set aside a judge's order that temporarily blocked the Trump administration's travel ban.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge James Robart temporarily halted a Trump administration executive order that suspended America's refugee program and halted immigration to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Rula Aoun, director of the Arab American Civil Rights League in Dearborn, Michigan, said her group is advising people to hurry.
A Somali refugee said about 140 refugees whose resettlement in the U.S. was blocked by Trump's executive order were sent back to their refugee camp and it was unclear if or when they could travel.
The State Department has advised refugee aid agencies that refugees who had been scheduled to travel before the order was signed will now be allowed into the U.S.
A State Department official said in an email obtained by The Associated Press that the government is "focusing on booking refugee travel through February 17," and they were working to have arrivals resume as soon as Monday.
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, who quit Trump's business advisory council this week following criticism of his initial response to Trump's ban, said his company is buying plane tickets for some of its drivers who are stranded, tweeting Friday night that the head of litigation for the ride-hailing app is "buying a whole bunch of airline tickets ASAP!"
Associated Press writers Cara Anna in Johannesburg; Alicia Caldwell in Washington; Amy Hanson in Helena, Montana; Robert Jablon in Los Angeles; Karin Laub in Amman, Jordan; Corey Williams in Detroit and AP Radio correspondent Julie Walker and freelance writer William Mathis in New York contributed to this story.